Jacksonville Injury Lawyers

SELECTED 2013-2018

Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Lawyer

What is Medical Malpractice?

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), medical errors “are a leading cause of death in the United States… At least 44,000 and perhaps as many as 98,000 Americans die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors. Costs attributable to medical errors are estimated at between $17 billion and $29 billion, according to the IOM.

Many of Florida’s most dangerous doctors continue to practice and the state watchdog is asleep on the job. There are 1,555 physicians who have been disciplined by Florida’s state medical and osteopathic boards for incompetence, misprescribing drugs, sexual misconduct, criminal convictions, ethical lapses and other offenses. Many were not required to stop practicing, even temporarily.

Medical malpractice is professional negligence by act or omission by a health care provider in which the treatment provided falls below the accepted standard of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient, with most cases involving medical error. This means a doctor or medical professional did something his or her peers wouldn’t have. Medical professionals may obtain professional liability insurances to offset the risk and costs of lawsuits based on medical malpractice.

RESULTS

$495+ Million Verdict

Phillips obtained one of the largest verdicts in American history of over $495+ Million dollars in the shooting death of Kalil McCoy. Her killer was also convicted in the criminal courts.

Jordan Davis: Wrongful Death

Represented the family of Jordan Davis and assisted with criminal prosecution of Jordan's killer, handled media relations of internationally reported case and obtained confidential maximum available civil settlement.

Medical Malpractice

Confidential settlement of over 120 cases against a pediatric dentist who was also prosecuted. We also assisted with shutting his dental practice down. He no longer practices dentistry and was arrested.

$1.1 Million Verdict Against Coca-Cola

Brain Injury Medical Malpractice

Phillips obtained a confidential settlement against a chiropractor who provided prescription pain medication to a boxer in advance of an Olympic qualifying fight. She sustained a brain injury due to secondary impact syndrome.

What Damages Can My Lawyer Recover in my Medical Malpractice Case?

If the negligence of another party can be proved, the injured party may be entitled to monetary compensation from the party at fault. And oftentimes, insurance covers the loss.

You may be able to recover:

Property Damages
Diminution of Value of Property
Past Medical Expenses
Future Medical Expenses
Money Spent on Care and Treatment
Money Lost because of Injury
Compensation for Pain
Compensation for Disability
Compensation for Loss of Capacity for Enjoyment of Life
Compensation for Physical Impairment and Loss of Use
Compensation for Scarring or Disfigurement
Loss of Earnings / Wage Loss
Loss of Capacity to Earn
Damages to Spouse
Damages to Children
And More.

Tips in Case You Have Been in an Accident:

Get to a doctor and document your injuries. Not only does being proactive help your health, but insurance carriers and their lawyers always look to use evidence against you- how long you took to get to a doctor, what you complained about or didn’t complain about and they will comb through your records in painful detail. Go to the doctor, be honest and detailed.

Fill out any available accident reports and police reports. Ask for a copy. Then, call your insurance carrier and make a claim. Be careful what you say. All too often, injury victims will say they are “fine” or “not that bad” or otherwise be polite and that will haunt then if their injuries take a turn for the worse. The ER will only really tell you if you have broken bones or major issues, but go and be honest. Hospital emergency rooms tend to leave the bulging discs, herniated discs, shoulder tears and the like to later treating doctors.

Many of our clients are hurting, struggling and hoping they get better, but aren’t. You get one shot at recovery. Lawyers must make sure the insurance companies are acting fairly. John worked for eight years defending these claims for these companies and big businesses and could write a book about ways they use your desire to be fair and reasonable against you. He now solely works for injury victims like you.

While all lawyers are allowed to advertise and anyone can basically handle a personal injury case, only Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyers are allowed to identify themselves as an “expert” or as “specialist” in this area. Certification is the highest level of recognition by The Florida Bar of the competency and experience of attorneys in the area by the Supreme Court of Florida. It also means the lawyer is known for trials- pushing beyond low offers by defendants, passed a peer review and passed a tough exam. Most cases do not get that far, but it is good to have a lawyer with all of the tools in their arsenal.

Insurance carriers try to negotiate every dollar they can, because every $100 means millions in the end to their Board of Directors. Attorneys matter. Defendants and their carriers change their game plan when an experienced lawyer is involved. For that reason – and the misinformation by TV lawyers and referral services- is why people should select lawyers carefully. Also, make sure it is the lawyer who shows up to meet with you and not a mere investigator. You are haring a lawyer and deserve their time. Also, ask for sample closing costs. Some lawyers charge for faxes, phone calls, scanning, postage, “in house courier” charges and even interest in these charges.

Because of the economy, more lawyers are jumping into personal injury and should stick to what they know. Personal injury law requires knowledge about medical science and biomechanics (the forces on a body in a wreck or a fall) far greater and more specific than you’d think. The other side has doctors and millions on their side to say nothing is wrong or fight the claim.